History
In 1981, Joe Hocher (founder and then owner of the Staniel Cay Yacht Club – see www.stanielcay.com) started flying a Piper Cherokee Six to bring supplies into Staniel Cay from Nassau and Fort Lauderdale. About this same time, he founded Watermakers, Inc. in Fort Lauderdale, a manufacturing company dedicated to the design, manufacture, and service of reverse osmosis desalination equipment. Of course, the ability to access remote islands via a small plane became a big selling point for the desalination systems that Watermakers, Inc. was installing throughout the Bahamas. Soon, Joe and his Cherokee Six were busy flying parts and providing technical support all over the Bahamas. Over the years, the demands of both the Staniel Cay Yacht Club and of Watermakers, Inc. grew to the point where multiple airplanes (and pilots) became a necessary part of doing business.
In response to demand, Watermakers Air was formed in 2002 for the specific purpose of flying passengers, as well as freight and supplies. Although the name harkens back to the time when our operation was primarily a support division of Watermakers, Inc., we are now a stand-alone FAA certified charter operator for both passengers and freight. Flights are operated by Nealco Air Charter Services dba Watermakers Air.
Our charter customers include vacationers (staying at SCYC, on private yachts, at rental properties, or with one of the island residents), Staniel Cay residents, yacht crew and maintenance personnel, and many others.
